Thursday, April 10, 2008

Speaking of hummus

To follow up on Christine's insistence upon above-average hummus, a quick note about my favorite store-bought hummuses (hummi?). John and I really like Sabra hummus, but you have to get the kind that comes in the flat container with the red-rimmed top as pictured on the website. (I've seen the same brand in a taller, typical-hummus-shaped container and it's not the same.) This is worth searching out; some Boston grocery stores carry it but not all. The roasted red pepper and pine nut varieties are particularly delicious. This hummus is extra smooth and creamy. I must warn you against the "Supremely Spicy" version however; I dig hard on spicy foods and this is one of the few commercial "spicy" products we found overwhelmingly too hot, i.e., really not pleasant to have in your mouth in any quantity.

I also like several varieties of hummus carried at Trader Joe's, namely the horseradish hummus (nicely tangy but not hot) and the three-layer hummus (or the "triple threat" as my brother has termed it), of which layers the cilantro is my very fave. I wish the cilantro hummus was available solo, because it's sooo yummy; it's on the thick/chunky side and good in sandwiches. TJ's also has several new varieties of hummus, including a white bean and basil kind I just bought and really loved. Very creamy and pesto-y. I find that when TJ's starts carrying a product I really like they discontinue it within weeks, so go seek this stuff out now before it's too late!

3 comments:

Oh my, great recommendation for the Sabra's hummus. I found it at the Dedham Stop & Shop and I'm loving it. The texture is perfect! I liked that the flavored ones weren't just the standard varieties (roasted red pepper, garlic)...next time I'm going to try the pine nut.Yum, I like the sound of the TJ's cilantro too.

My home made hummus has always been disappointing--too grainy, not creamy and fluffy and nutty like the best hummus can be. I have a recipe I'm going to try this weekend calls for soaking the chickpeas in a combination of water and baking soda, which apparently creates a nice texture once everything is blended and the olive oil is emulsified, etc.